Zoe Pepper mines the generational wealth divide for all its worth in the acidic WA-made comedy Birthright. Cory (a perfectly cast deadpan Travis Jeffery) and his very pregnant wife Jasmine (an equally deadpan and delightful Maria Angelico) are getting the shaft from their rental. Stuffed in more ways than one, they load up all they can into the boot of their car and trundle off to the sanctuary of mum and dad, Cory's baby-boomer parents, Richard and Lyn (pitch perfect casting of Michael Hurst and Linda Cropper).
Cory's parents live in a swanky abode in a leafy green suburb somewhere in Perth. Their house has more rooms than they need, with costly, barely used furniture swaddled in sheets and blankets to protect them from dust. Their home feels, well, a little soulless, like the misused result of decades of wealth accumulation; by any other name they might be called 'hoarders'.
I couldn't help but unleash my praise on Zoe in the following interview, one which explores the foundations of the film, its relevance to now, the casting process, and the joys of bringing dark comedy to life on screen. I also apply a misreading to the film about a rock that Richard holds during one scene, summoning the name of one Scott Morrison, and alluding to his infamous embrace of coal in Parliament House.
Birthright is the kind of film that'll shine with an audience, and for Aussies in Sydney, they'll get the chance to do so on Thursday 12 June, with two more sessions on 13 and 14 June at the Sydney Film Festival. Check out SFF.org.au for tickets and more details.
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